The question of peace is a burning question, a painful question of our time. Much has been said and written about it, and you have probably all debated it extensively. Therefore, allow me to proceed to the reading of the declaration that the government elected by you must publish.

Decree on Peace

The Workers' and Peasants' Government, created by the revolution of October 24–25 and resting upon the Soviets of workers', soldiers', and peasants' deputies, proposes to all the warring peoples and their governments to begin immediately negotiations for a just democratic peace.

A just or democratic peace, which the overwhelming majority of exhausted, tormented, and ravaged workers and toiling classes of all warring countries yearn for{7} – a peace which in the most definite and insistent manner was demanded by Russian workers and peasants after the overthrow of the tsarist monarchy – such a peace the government considers to be an immediate peace without annexations (that is, without the seizure of foreign lands, without the forced incorporation of foreign peoples) and without indemnities.

Such a peace the government of Russia proposes to conclude with all the warring peoples immediately, expressing its readiness to take, without the least delay, all decisive steps forthwith, until the final confirmation of all the conditions of such a peace by the competent assemblies of people's representatives of all countries and all nations.

By annexation or the seizure of foreign lands, the government understands, in accordance with the legal consciousness of democracy in general and of the toiling classes in particular, any incorporation of a small or weak people into a large or strong state without the precise, clear, and voluntary expression of consent and desire of that people, regardless of the time when such forcible incorporation was accomplished, and regardless also of how developed or backward the nation forcibly incorporated or forcibly retained within the boundaries of the given state may be. Regardless, finally, of whether the nation lives in Europe or in distant overseas countries.

If any nation whatsoever is retained within the boundaries of the given state by force; if, contrary to its expressed desire – whether that desire was expressed in the press, in public assemblies, in party decisions, or in uprisings and revolts against national oppression – it is not given the right to decide by free vote, with the complete withdrawal of the troops of the incorporating nation or, in general, of the stronger nation, without the slightest coercion, the question of the forms of state existence of that nation, then the incorporation of it is an annexation, that is, seizure and violence.

To continue this war for the sake of how to divide among strong and wealthy nations the weak peoples they have seized, the government considers to be the greatest crime against humanity, and solemnly declares its determination to sign immediately the conditions of a peace that will end this war on the stated, equally just conditions for all nations without exception.

At the same time, the government declares that it by no means considers the above-stated conditions of peace to be ultimative, that is, it agrees to consider any other conditions of peace as well, insisting only upon the most rapid possible submission of them by any warring country and upon the utmost clarity, upon the unconditional exclusion of all ambiguity and all secrecy in the submission of peace conditions.

The government abolishes secret diplomacy; on its part expressing firm determination to conduct all negotiations in complete openness before all the people, proceeding immediately to the complete publication of the secret treaties confirmed or concluded by the government of landowners and capitalists from February to October 25, 1917. All the contents of these secret treaties, insofar as they were aimed, as in the majority of cases they were, at securing benefits and privileges for Russian landowners and capitalists, at the retention or increase of the annexations of the Great Russians, the government declares to be unconditionally and immediately annulled.

Directing its proposal to the governments and peoples of all countries to begin immediately open negotiations for the conclusion of peace, the government expresses on its part readiness to conduct these negotiations either through written communications, by telegraph, or through negotiations between representatives of different countries or at a conference of such representatives. To facilitate such negotiations, the government appoints its authorized representative to the neutral countries.

The government proposes to all governments and peoples of all the warring countries to conclude an armistice immediately, and on its part considers it desirable that this armistice be concluded for no less than three months, that is, for such a period during which it is entirely possible both to complete negotiations for peace with the participation of representatives of all nations or peoples without exception drawn into the war or forced to participate in it, and also to convene competent assemblies of people's representatives of all countries for the final confirmation of the conditions of peace.

Directing this proposal for peace to the governments and peoples of all the warring countries, the temporary Workers' and Peasants' Government of Russia appeals also in particular to the conscious workers of the three most advanced nations of humanity and the largest states participating in the present war: England, France, and Germany. The workers of these countries have rendered the greatest services to the cause of progress and socialism: the great examples of the Chartist movement in England{8}, a series of revolutions of world-historical significance accomplished by the French proletariat, and finally, the heroic struggle against the exceptional law in Germany{9} and the exemplary for workers throughout the world prolonged, stubborn, disciplined work of creating mass proletarian organizations in Germany. All these examples of proletarian heroism and historical creativity serve us as a pledge that the workers of the named countries will understand the tasks that now lie upon them of liberating humanity from the horrors of war and its consequences, that these workers through comprehensive, decisive, and wholehearted energetic activity will help us successfully bring to completion the cause of peace and at the same time the cause of the liberation of the toiling and exploited masses of the population from all slavery and all exploitation.

The Workers' and Peasants' Government, created by the revolution of October 24–25 and resting upon the Soviets of workers', soldiers', and peasants' deputies, must immediately begin negotiations for peace. Our appeal must be directed both to the governments and to the peoples. We cannot ignore the governments, for then the possibility of concluding peace is delayed, and a people's government must not do this, but we have no right at the same time not to address the peoples. Everywhere governments and peoples diverge from one another, and therefore we must help the peoples intervene in questions of war and peace. We shall, of course, defend with all our might our entire program of peace without annexations and indemnities. We shall not retreat from it, but we must wrest from the hands of our enemies the possibility of saying that their conditions are different, and therefore there is nothing to negotiate with us. No, we must deprive them of this advantageous position and not place our conditions as an ultimatum. Therefore, the provision is included that we will consider all conditions of peace, all proposals. To consider means not yet to accept. We shall bring them for discussion to the Constituent Assembly, which will already have the authority to decide what can and what cannot be conceded. We are fighting against the deception of governments, which all speak of peace and justice in words, while in deed conduct wars of conquest and plunder. Not a single government will say everything it thinks. We, on the other hand, are against secret diplomacy and will act openly before all the people. We do not close and have not closed our eyes to difficulties. War cannot be ended by refusal; war cannot be ended by one side. We propose an armistice for three months, but do not reject a shorter term either, so that the tormented army might breathe freely at least for some time, and, besides, in all civilized countries it is necessary to convene people's assemblies to discuss the conditions.

In proposing the immediate conclusion of an armistice, we appeal to the conscious workers of those countries which have done much for the development of the proletarian movement. We appeal to the workers of England, where the Chartist movement existed, to the workers of France, who have more than once shown in uprisings the full strength of their class consciousness, and to the workers of Germany, who have endured the struggle against the law on socialists and have created mighty organizations.

In the manifesto of March 14, we proposed to overthrow the bankers{10}, but we ourselves not only did not overthrow our own, but even entered into alliance with them. Now we have overthrown the government of bankers.

Governments and the bourgeoisie will employ all efforts to unite and crush in blood the workers' and peasants' revolution. But three years of war have taught the masses sufficiently. The Soviet movement in other countries, the uprising of the German fleet, suppressed by the junkers, the executioners of Wilhelm{11}. Finally, one must remember that we live not in the depths of Africa, but in Europe, where everything can soon become known.

The workers' movement will prevail and will pave the way to peace and socialism. (Long and unceasing applause.)